The Island Of Dr. Moreau (1996)

David Thewlis	Edward Douglas
Marlon Brando	Dr. Moreau
Val Kilmer	Montgomery
Fairuza Balk	Aissa
Ron Perlman	Sayer of the Law
Marco Hofschneider	M'Ling
Temuera Morrison	Azazello
William Hootkins	Kiril
Daniel Rigney	Hyena-Swine
Nelson de la Rosa	Majai
Peter Elliott	Assassimon
Mark Dacascos	Lo-Mai
Miguel López	Waggdi
Neil Young	Boar Man
David Hudson	Bison Man

Director	John Frankenheimer Richard Stanley
Producer	Edward R. Pressman Claire Rudnick Polstein
Writer	H.G. Wells Richard Stanley Ron Hutchinson
Cinematography	William A. Fraker
Musician	Gary Chang

Previously filmed in 1933 (as Island of Lost Souls) and 1977, the classic H.G. Wells story was filmed again for this graphic 1996 version. The film was roasted by critics, but it's an utterly fascinating failure, largely due to the performances of David Thewlis, Val Kilmer, and especially Marlon Brando in the title role as a mad (and in this case outrageously bizarre) scientist whose experiments in crossbreeding humans with animals have gone terribly awry. Thewlis plays the wayward scholar who is rescued at sea by Kilmer and brought to Moreau's island to discover the doctor's unnatural "children." Fairuza Balk plays Moreau's half-cat daughter, but it's Brando and Kilmer (in one scene doing a killer Brando impersonation) who steal the show, along with the astounding makeup effects created by Stan Winston. A guilty pleasure by any measure, this movie has definite cult-favorite potential, and in addition to offering a "director's cut" with previously unseen footage, the DVD includes audio commentary by director John Frankenheimer, who replaced the original director on short notice and completed this film under highly stressful conditions. --Jeff Shannon

Edition Details
Edition	Unrated Director's Cut
Distributor	New Line Home Video
Chapters	25
Release Date	8/22/1997
Packaging	Snap Case
Screen Ratio	2.35:1
Subtitles	English; French; Spanish
Audio Tracks	ENGLISH: Dolby Digital 5.1 FRENCH: Dolby Digital Stereo
Layers	Single Side, Single Layer
No. of Disks/Tapes	1

Personal Details
Purchase Date	1/29/2003
Owner	Thomas Eisenmann
Store	WalMart
Purchase Price	$7.88
Condition	Excellent
Reviewed	Widescreen Review
Bit Rate	384 KB
Anamophic	Yes
Links	IMDB Amazon US The Island Of Dr. Moreau at Movie Collector Connect

Anamophic

Special features on this 100 minute Director’s edition include interviews and trailers.

Story Synopsis:
Brando is the demented Dr. Moreau, living on a remote island, whose quest at superseding evolution turns dangerous. Stranded in the open ocean, U.N. diplomat Edward Douglas (Thewlis) is rescued and taken to the island by Moreau’s assistant (Kilmer). Inevitably trapped on the island, Douglas becomes witness to the doctor’s genetic human-animal experiments to create a peaceful sub-species. But Moreau’s beasts revolt in a frenzy of animalistic behavior, threatening the entire island.

DVD Picture:
The picture in the component anamorphic mode exhibits excellent color fidelity with sharpness and detail that is dramatically improved over the 2.35:1 LaserDisc reviewed in Issue 23. Fleshtones are natural with deep blacks, though, at times, color saturation is slightly intense and exaggerated. The DVD’s anamorphic and letterbox aspect ratio is 2.35:1.

Soundtrack:
The Dolby® Digital 5.1 discrete soundtrack is wonderfully spatial. Distinct directional sound effects are positioned in the split surrounds and there is excellent soundfield integration and side wall phantom imaging. The jungle sounds are incredibly discrete with an aggressive soundfield. The music score is dynamic and expansive. Bass extension is deep, reaching below 25Hz.

This Disc Contains The Following WSR-Rated Superb Qualities:
Superb Sound Effects Recording Quality
Superb Music Score Recording Quality